Strategic Planning entails the making of schemes to be adhered to by an entire organization. This pertains to the entire organizations achievement and progress over a certain period of time in the future. It also takes into account the way industry conditions change with the times - in areas such as technology and communications. The particular nature of the organization, as brought out by its leadership, its culture, complexities in its environment, its size and other specific aspects prevalent there, determine its Strategic Planning mode. Thus, there arise a number of models, approaches and perspectives of Strategic Planning. These may be based on goals or issues or other criteria. An organizations planners may well know the components of a Strategic Plan. Still, in order to clarify and elucidate the organizations plans and verify that the individual plans of the key persons concerned comply with the common plan, the Strategic Planning process is well worth considering. Strategic Planning serves many purposes: It helps cultivate a feeling of ownership of the plan among the participants in planning. It helps bring focus on the key priorities of the organization, and thereby ensures the most optimum effective use of the organizations available resources. It sets and establishes realistic and achievable goals for a period of time in keeping with the organizations capacity. It forwards such goals and objectives defined to every constituent of the organization. Following these, progress can be measured from time to time. It redefines the organizations purpose. It establishes a mechanism for informing about changes in goals and objectives, when made. |
